Pain
by sort of abandoned
Summary: Pacifica Northwest has a condition that disallows her to feel physical pain. For a woman thriving on fear and resistance from her victims — her prey — Pacifica is not at all prepared for the hopeless affections of a witty and ignorant Mabel Pines. Warning: lots and lots of homicide
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: hello, everyone! i'm back and better than ever. i don't know if you remember me but my name is ellen and i used to write the most cringeworthy gravity falls fanfictions ever so that's why i have since deleted the vast majority of them. this new story of mine is one i have been working on for a long time and one i am glad to be finally publishing, so i hope you enjoy.**

 **this story contains hardcore gore, homicide, and a shit ton of other triggering stuff, so yeah. if you're uncomfortable, this story is not for the faint-hearted. my condolences to all.**

 **Behold and beware.**

* * *

It all started where the conventional cliché stories all seemingly began: high school, in the relatively small town of Piedmont, California.

Mabel Pines was eighteen and she was immensely prepared to graduate with a month left of secondary education books before the big leagues, known as: college.

She lived with her twin brother Dipper in a small flat; no parents to pester her about the lack of a significant other or any close friends because, unfortunately, they were dead. Tragic train wreck when they all went into a subway for the first time; that accident is also the cause of matching malicious scars on hers and Dipper's sides.

Since Dipper was intelligent enough to have already graduated — with a degree in parapsychology, at that — he often drove his sister to school every day or to the pet shop she worked at, and offered to pick her up afterwards. Mabel genuinely loved her school because nobody but Dipper had ever touched her; it was a firm 'to each their own' basis around there.

Until 1 October came around.

Even though it was supposed to be autumn in Piedmont, according to the calendar, anyway — it seemed more like winter this day. The seasons had a tendency to be quite eerie at times. Today, the snow met the icy tar and pavement like old friends after a drought. It really was a drought in Mabel's mind, she'd missed the snowflakes so much. It reminded her of when she was an ebullient little girl, always staying up late and her face pressed to the cold window with the expectancy that the snowflakes will descend; and whenever they did, little happy Mabel was always waiting to embroider herself in it and create a perfect snow-angel symbolising her innocence. Mabel loved recounting memories like those just as much as she enjoyed walking extra slow to school on days like this, waking up a half hour earlier just to make up for the time.

Their school was open for today, since the snow just started, but it would most likely tomorrow. That was great, because considering the amount of hours she worked every week, Mabel declared that she needed some peace and serenity — no matter how long.

The principal droned on about their morning announcements that Mabel didn't even bother listening to. It would appear in the circulars they handed out at the administrator anyway, so she kept her earphones in playing a custom school playlist she had compiled for herself. Alongside art, music was a favourite passion of Mabel's.

Halfway complete her journey, Mabel decided to look up and hum the catchy rhythm of some top forties pop song. In the brief fifteen second chorus, she caught the glimpse of a semi-attractive man with a moustache and a younger blonde woman arguing in front of a Rolls Royce — so loudly that bystanders outside building C stopped their routine walk just to onlook whatever the two were fighting about. Fifteen seconds are spent by Mabel observing these two new people; the fringed blonde woman couldn't have looked to be older than twenty-one maybe — and the man, though he looked a trifle older than her, was comparatively too young to present himself as her father. _Perhaps he's her husband or boyfriend?_ Mabel thought.

Though Mabel didn't spend nearly as much time investigating the man as she did with his female companion.

This girl, or, woman, was wearing a denim-black jacket with white frills around the hood, with black leggings. Not much can be seen of her face from this distance, except that she had perfectly pale skin and azure blue eyes. Mabel can't see any tattoos, mainly because the woman's body was entirely covered by cloth, but if the furious expression on her face was anything to go by, it's safe to say this individual was not friendly.

Her hair, Mabel decides is her favourite feature. It's straight, flaxen-blonde, and it concludes at her waist while it's curled a little at the tips. It was damp from a fresh wash and Mabel suddenly can't resist the urge to stop thinking about what brand of conditioner she thinks this stranger uses. So, Mabel presumes she's the man's girlfriend. That would make lots of sense. She was quite attractive, yes, but Mabel knew her boundaries.

Mabel watched the drama, forsaking another half minute and a song change, as mysterious-irritated-blonde gave presumed-boyfriend something, although due to Mabel's angle from afar, it was impossible for her to determine what it was. He said nothing to her, nor she to him. She stormed back on the awaiting pavement with powerful strides, knocking several pupils and a teacher in the shoulder.

So much time had been spent inspecting this girl that Mabel hadn't realised she was nearing the brink of tardiness, and it had taken the brunette one glance at the timer of her phone while searching for another song to notice. Before she could glance down at her watch and take off in a sprint that will have her shaving off free time, she managed to unintentionally capture her subject's attention. The woman from the Rolls Royce just glances to her left, glowering at everyone and everything, and her stormy eyes got hooked on Mabel's peaceful evergreen ones.

Mabel turned pale, maybe even green, from the persistent staring and stepped back like the added distance would put her mind at ease. It didn't, only because the woman across the yard from her stopped walking just to tilt her head curiously at Mabel.

Fighting the urge to collapse right then and there, Mabel swallowed and lifted her fingers just a little to signal a short wave. An awkward, stiff wave that has the newest of Mabel's acquaintances frowning deeper. That was the end of all Mabel's courage—if any—today and she decided to quit while she didn't exchange words. Her English teacher was a few metres away from her so she simply turned on her heel and took off down the open hallway to the correct courseroom.

The woman didn't haunt Mabel's mind for the rest of the day, but she regret wasting so much time that morning on her after getting caught eavesdropping. Waving at a complete stranger, officially Mabel's most moronic move of the century.

—

Across town, at Skull Fracture where lone rangers from everywhere and cross country travellers all come to get lost in the booze of life, Pacifica Northwest was drowning her third brand of Scotch in her usual seat. Three Scotches and three vodka shots were her limit in order to instill her sanity for that evening remained in place.

Earlier that day she and her father Preston had fought, one of the most brutal fights they've had in a while. It was right after breakfast when he had forgotten an assignment of his in the basement - that's where he usually did his projects even though he knew full well it was his daughter's occasional safe-space - and went to fetch it. Curiosity overcoming him, he had uncovered one of Pacifica's less-than-desirable hobbies wrapped in a few towels and pushed under her bed.

Pacifica, upon discovering this when confronted, had remained calm and asked why he had been snooping around when all he simply had to do was get his fucking stuff. He argued that wasn't the point and even had the nerve to slap her for it.

 _Slapped._

Pacifica had gotten angry, because he had never even dared to touch her so angrily or with such intent in years. She had always assumed that ever since she had been the one gaining control over her prolonged trauma, and ever since she grew to be more aggressive than usual — _he_ had been developing a fear of _her_ instead of the other way around.

But of course, she had underestimated it and unfortunately she had to explain to him why she had decapitated the head of a worthless drifter; which meant unfortunately, considering he discovered far too much in Pacifica's predicament — he had to die. Just like all of the others.

Murdering was no thrilling experience or adrenaline-induced fit for Pacifica Northwest. She was tightly wound all the time and felt ready to combust painfully if she didn't release some knots.

This was one way: torture. Each time she did it she felt lighter and more at ease. She visited male friends sometimes but they didn't work out too well and neither did the whorish, scum-ridden girls she encountered on the street. She fucked the way she felt. Hard and rough, ignoring the pained protests of her sexual partners. She was merciless because nobody gave her mercy, granted her the benefit of the doubt so why the fuck should she be any better?

"Anything else, hon?" The kind bartender she never learnt the name of asked as he wiped his hands.

Pacifica shook her head and dropped a flap of bills before leaving, thinking about where to go and what to do. Her mind instantly flashed back to when she saw _Green-Eyed-Girl._ She knew her eyes were green because they were striking in appeal all the way from across the car park.

It was odd, what happened then. The girl waved and ran off like she was telling Pacifica _later we'll meet again._ Maybe they could, Pacifica would like to entertain the idea that this particular girl isn't a total waste like everyone else. She looked like someone who would make a difference, try hard to accomplish something. Yet she was swathed in sweet innocence. Nobody who has been to the dark side of life and returned looks like that, full of naivety and ignorance.

Pacifica liked people like that. She _loved_ people like that.

Meanwhile, she debated on which particular instrument or method of torture she would have to commence on Preston. There was _no way_ he was making it out alive with the knowledge that his daughter slaughtered people as a pastime. No amounts of shitty promises on not to mention anything to anyone about her cravings for overkill could ever change that. Plus, she had been eagerly wanting for him to compensate for the abuse he had subjected her to many years ago. Abuse he had sworn to rehabilitate himself from never committing again. _Old habits die hard,_ Pacifica had thought.

So that's how it begun on the very first of October.

Pacifica didn't stalk Mabel, but did insist it was fate that made them stumble across each other almost everyday. Mabel was nervous at first, blushing often uncontrollably like when they 'bumped' into each other in the supermarket the day after the car park incident. Pacifica says it that way because it wasn't at all a coincidence, she had been parked outside Mabel's house for three hours — unbeknownst to her, of course — waiting for her to make a move.

She had underestimated Mabel's observational skills because Mabel knew she was there all that time, and it was oddly flattering to her. People like Mabel were rare, bordering on extinct. People didn't like this kind of attention, but Mabel wanted all the attention she could receive from this beautiful stranger.

Pacifica stuck to the pasta isle when Mabel was in the snack section. Mabel knew she was there, just smirked and moved along like she didn't notice. Pacifica was practically screaming 'See me, already!'.

Eventually Mabel genuinely forgot she was being watched and strolled into the candy isle for more chocolate, when Pacifica decided to confront her. She always got what she wanted, and didn't bother with whether she was forward or not. She wanted to be noticed now by this pretty lady, so she'd be able to say there was some semblance of claiming.

"Hello."

Pacifica came across as too abrupt at first, shocking Mabel into dropping the slabs in her hands. It was the most uncomfortable few minutes of Pacifica's life, and to this day she wished she would have said something else or smiled at least. She wanted to look intimidating, but not _too_ intimidating.

She waited for Mabel to pick up what had fallen, pained frown on her forehead all the while.

"Uh. H-Hi." Mabel stuttered.

Pacifica tilted her head to the left, just like she had in the car park. "What's your name?"

Mabel was a coward, and she was playing a game too big earlier by being stupidly oblivious by act. "M-Mabel... Pines. Mabel Pines."

"Northwest."

"What?"

"Pacifica Northwest. My name."

"Oh! Uh, you have a... nice name. Did you know it means 'peaceful' in Portuguese?"

Pacifica smirked to expose one of two dimples and absorb the nerves Mabel sent out in hoards. How wonderfully cheesy. Mabel's cheeks turned pink and she couldn't bite her lip to suppress her smile fast enough.

"Are you here with someone?" Pacifica asked for formalities.

"I think you know that answer, Pacifica." Mabel seemed to be going off some confidence reserves, dumping everything in her shopping basket gracelessly.

Pacifica was taken aback by that answer. "You are... quite observant."

"Thank you."

There was something Pacifica still didn't understand. Why was this Mabel girl so calm and not running away, piercing screams following her? She was standing in front of Pacifica with that permanent blush and soft smile that made Pacifica so fucking _hungry_ for it.

"I don't understand." Pacifica kept her gaze following Mabel's even when the girl looked away. She was fully enthralled by this perfect shade of green.

Mabel didn't say anything, deepening her smile into a cute laugh. Pacifica wanted to grab her and do an obscene amount of dirty things to her in private because of that sound.

They were both too forward about this, both being so different but so similar in personalities. Pacifica was going to take and Mabel was willing to give everything she had from day one.

Pacifica nodded, hands shoved so deeply into her jacket pockets that it should hurt _but it doesn't._ She never felt pain, never could. Never has she wished that she could though, having congenital analgesia was the best thing that's ever happened to her. Now, she was a victim of passion. Passion for pain and suffering, loved to witness it come from other people so she got a glimpse of what it should be like. When they scream, it's a thick steam that comes out through their mouths. She lived for that steam, the moment of a person's final gasp.

Upon looking up, she found that Mabel wasn't there anymore. She panicked for the first time in a long time, glancing around her frantically.

 _What if someone else found her?_ Snatched up Mabel's glorious attentiveness whilst Pacifica was lost in her head. She didn't want that, not before she got her chance. The blonde took large strides to cover the ground of the store, and found Mabel at the cashier, smiling at the tired, overweight man behind the till. Pacifica was revolted by the scene.

"What happened?" She didn't touch Mabel, but she still stood as close as she could to her.

Mabel was surprised by Pacifica's sudden turn up and took a moment after her gasp to calm her breathing.

"Mabel?" Mabes. Pacifica wanted to call her Mabes.

"You uh... stopped talking," Mabel mumbled hurriedly.

Mabel paid for her items and accepted the stocked packet. Pacifica followed suit, not done with this conversation yet after glaring with fury at the cashier. She hated him. **Soos** is what the name tag read. _Fucking Soos._ Mabel was supposed to be with her but this fat idiot was laughing too long, too much and it kept Mabel there.

"What?" Pacifica let the door hit her arm, not flinching or hissing because of course, it didn't hurt at all.

"You stopped talking after I answered you. Looked like you were a thousand miles away so I left." Mabel shrugged, walking in the direction of her home with Pacifica in tow.

"Oh." Pacifica cursed herself mentally. "Well, I want to drive you to and from school."

"That's very kind, North." Mabel smiled, a real smile that Pacifica committed to memory as well as the nickname. _North._ She liked that. "But we don't know each other."

"I want to know you."

"I would like to know you too, Pacifica."

"So let me drive you."

Mabel actually laughed at her, not in a condescending way. "You're cute."

"What?"

"You're cute. A bit hasty, but cute."

"Why am I hasty?"

"Because you're offering to drive me to school when you don't know me. I could be a kidnapper."

Pacifica did laugh at that, but it held too much truth on the opposite end to be funny for too long. "You're not a kidnapper. You are the _last_ person I would _ever_ expect to be an abducter."

"Yeah, but—"

"Let me drive you to school, Mabel."

"No, Pacifica."

Pacifica's jaw clenched up and it was an admirable feat of beauty that Mabel wants to touch, caress over and over. She didn't want to admit it, though.

"Will you think about it?" Pacifica asked instead.

"Um... maybe."

"How long will you take?"

Mabel crossed the road, laughing over her shoulder. "Good night, Pacifica!"

Pacifica deflates from her unexplained defeat and retired to her house. She tried, and she'd try again the next day. Eyeing the oblivious Soos, however, she had quite a few _other_ things to take care of.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter is a literal wall of text, so again, my condolences. My condolences also for the Soos fans out there, because I am certainly not one and it was fun writing his tragic death. That, and also the fact that I hate creating OCs for any reason so I just compensate for it by using minor or irrelevant background characters.**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

Pacifica waited in her Rolls Royce the entire night for _motherfucking Soos_ to get off his shift. When he finally did, it was two in the morning and Pacifica has never had such a lazy victim before. She was almost going to give Soos a head start just to mock him as he ran.

Pacifica got him in the back of her car with chloroform wrapped around his mouth and nose. When she got home to her manor, she changed her clothing to nothing except merely a red T-shirt and put the stove on. She used her special pot and filled it with water and olive oil before setting it to boil. Pacifica watched until the first bubble rose and popped, then she went to retrieve Soos from the car outside.

Her torture-chamber was next to her bedroom, not hidden in any way but it always remained locked with a double bolt, no one given access to the dungeon other than her. Soos was strapped down before Pacifica lifted the cloth and brutally sucker-punched him, urging him to wake up faster. The man stirred and groaned from a heavy head.

"What—"

"Shut up." Pacifica growled. "Open your mouth."

Naturally, Soos kept his lips sealed and added a challenge for Pacifica. She retrieved one of many knives from her collection, a distinctive one resembling that of a small katana. It had jagged edges, made to ensure it would cut thoroughly through whatever subject it touched. Pacifica sliced Soos' closed lips with the knife and smirked as she watched him grimace in pain.

"Do you know why you're here, Soos?" She asked him rhetorically.

He couldn't shake his head or say anything, as he was already choking on his own saliva.

"You're here because I met someone today. Yesterday, actually. She is beautiful and _I_ would like to know her better. Thing is, you were chatting her up too which isn't allowed, Soos. I don't like people touching _my_ things."

Pacifica turned her back to pull out the tray of instruments she had collected over the years, humming a familiar tune as she picked up the scalpel. She rinsed it in alcohol and went back over to a squirming and sobbing Soos.

"Stop crying, you whiny bitch. You're supposed to be a man."

Cursing when she realised she had forgotten the customary apple, Pacifica left the room to check on the pot and grab one from her suspended fruit basket. She rushed back to Soos, the full-on hysterical man with tears and snot messing his face.

"Tell me," Pacifica strapped his wrist down, aiming for that section first. "What part of you wanted Mabel when you saw her?"

Pacifica dropped the scalpel for the katana, sharpened to a point where it was glimmering at any hint of light shown in its' vicinity and Pacifica's favourite instrument for times like these.

"Your dick?" She dragged the knife along his skin until it reached his pants.

"No?" Pacifica laughed humourlessly when she shifted the blade to his chest, digging in deeper so a couple drops of blood peak out at him. "Your heart?"

Pacifica dragged the length of the blade down Soos' torso again, leaving a crimson red gash in his wake. "Your soul?"

When she got to his throat, the overweight man started to thrash about. "Your mind, then? Is that it?"

Pacifica sighed and thought about making it quick for this poor little vulnerable man. She knew how to read and inspect people better than a psychic, and she could clearly vision him already living a mediocre lifestyle, so logically it would be no use for him to keep on going like this. Instead, she went back to Soos' wrist and she re-used the scalpel to slice a neat block.

"Were you looking forward to going home and just wanking in the shower to thoughts of her?" Pacifica bit her lip as she concentrated, ignoring the screeches coming from this blob of prey.

"You still live with your mother, don't you?" Pacifica shook her head, removing the skin skillfully to reveal the chunk of vibrant meat. "How pathetic."

Soos was a mess on the steel examination table under the harsh UV light shining on his face. The stubble on his chin was prickly and it scratched his baby skin. His bottom lip quivered as he succumbed to the most embarrassing reaction to fear.

"Fucking... really?" Pacifica said, voice as cold as ice. "Luckily for bed-wetters like you, I had a drain installed. For now you have to just lie there until decomposition renders you to nothing but unrecognisable dust and pollen."

Soos screwed his eyes shut as a second round of horrendous pain pierced through his body from his forearm. He screamed but Pacifica turned her radio up to some hardcore heavy metal band and nobody heard a thing. Pacifica removed a beautiful chunk of flesh from his arm, Soos having passed out long ago from the incredulous pain.

She slapped it on a plate, easily excited by the wet slurp it made and she cut a piece of her green apple with the bloodied knife so the prickly sweet taste of the apple was laced with the sour hint of blood DNA. Mixing it with her special dishes, she thought about two things: the first being what the hell she was going to do with Preston and the second being how she was going to entrap Mabel.

Pacifica knew she couldn't keep her father alive any longer, especially not after he had inadvertently discovered her decade-long secret. If the truth about Pacifica's killings were to come out, the non-beneficial backlash would fall more on him than on her. She would be interrogated with a motive to all of her killings, and it would be discovered she simply used them as a coping method for putting up with Preston's lifelong abuse of her and an enactment of all the homicidal fantasies she'd dreamed of inflicting on him. _Murderous daughter and abusive father,_ headlines would speculate. The Northwest family would be scandalised and ruined forever. Pacifica would have rather wished she experienced pain than to have that ever happen.

Despite all of his begs and pleads that he wouldn't utter a word to a single soul, Pacifica knew better than to trust him. She knew exactly what type of father and what type of man in general he was. Trusting him would not only be a mistake, but incredibly idiotic on her part and the blonde was not an idiot. She knew that she had to eliminate him immediately, and she had to do it fast. The only problem Pacifica thought about was _how exactly_ was she going to do it.

She pondered on that while eating the bloodied apple she'd cut combined with the meal she'd prepared. She then focused every part of her brain's attention on the little breathtaking brunette girl she now knew as Mabel. _Mabel._ Even mentally repeating the name in her head was just enough to give Pacifica sheer arousal. It was strange, because normally Mabel wasn't the type of girl Pacifica interested herself in; she was the perpendicular opposite. Bubbly, cheery, positive and eccentric; and most of Pacifica's lovers were pitiful one-night-stands Pacifica didn't care a single ounce to learn the name of. But Pacifica had a longing for Mabel that was too perplexing to even describe — she wanted to hold her, kiss her, and perform many obscene acts on her whilst the both of them were drunk and high, yet she also wanted to spoil and cherish her for as long as the two of them lived. The only thing she knew about it was that she obviously did not view or want Mabel as a one-night-stand. To predict what the future may hold, Pacifica decided to call her.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—

Mabel was innocently sitting at the dinner table with her brother Dipper. He was droning on about some rigid parapsychology business he had preoccupied himself with, business that Mabel was not interested in and neglected to listen to because she was too busy thinking about her bizarre encounter with Pacifica. The girl was mysterious, strange, and oddly appealing — unlike any other girl she'd ever met before. Mabel had the eeriest urge to see Pacifica again; to find out what lied behind the barriers of this profound young girl. Mabel mentally cursed herself for not asking Pacifica about any of her contact information.

After three hours of pretending to be actually interested in whatever nerdy thing her brother was rambling on about — which involved a few mutterings of "hmm", "okay", "cool", and "yeah," in between every sentence, Mabel's metaphorical bell was saved when the telephone immediately rang. Dipper went to answer it but as always, Mabel stopped him because she had a little prediction on who the caller might be.

"Hello?" Mabel answered casually. Even with her back turned, she could feel a naturally suspicious Dipper watching her in the background.

"Mabel," that monotonous female voice answered. Hearing her own name come out of that voice, as well as Mabel's prediction being unexpectedly surprisingly correct sent chills down Mabel's spine.

"Pacifica?" Mabel whispered, quiet enough so that Dipper couldn't hear it, although she was hoping that Pacifica would. "How did you... get this number?"

"That's not any of your concern, Mabel. I also have your personal phone number as well as your address," a clearly disgruntled Pacifica said on the other end. "Is somebody there with you?"

"Nope," Mabel replied with a fake tone of enthusiasm.

"I can come over there right now and check for myself."

"I promise, it's just me and my younger brother."

Unfortunately, Dipper heard that remark. "I'm younger by _five minutes_ , Mabel," he interrupted. "You really need to stop doing that, it's annoying and embarrassing."

Mabel blushed. "Alpha twin," she responded pseudo-enthusiastically before hurrying up to reply back to Pacifica.

She could hear Pacifica groaning on the other end before the blonde retorted: "Mabel," she said once again in that chilling tone, "I want you to drop by my house. _Alone._ Don't bring your brother or anyone else with you. You don't have a choice."

Mabel's heart rapidly started beating at the command, so much so that she was surprised she didn't immediately go into cardiac arrest. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am obviously _sure_ ," Pacifica's tone grew agitated and angry.

Mabel decided to stand up for herself, only a tad. "Honestly, if you weren't very attractive, I'd find the blatant stalking you're doing of me very creepy. Not that I don't find it creepy now but just a little less."

"I will text you the address on your personal phone," Pacifica said, ignoring her remark. "Arrive at the minimum, four, or there _will be_ consequences."

A petrified Mabel nodded her head rapidly as if Pacifica could personally view her and abruptly hung up the receiver whilst a suspicious Dipper onlooked. Mabel quickly ran into the living room to retrieve her phone out of her bag, and sure enough, the notification for her text messages contained nothing but an address sent from an unknown number. Mabel saved the number in her contact list as "PNW" and pocketed the phone. Mabel headed for the front door when she was halted by her brother.

"Stop," Dipper stood in front of her with a concerned look on his face. "Who was that?"

"No one," Mabel replied.

"You're talking about stalking and you really think you're going to convince me nobody was on the other end? I want to know who that was and I want to know _now,_ Mabel."

"It was just a joke," Mabel reassured. She hated lying to anyone, especially Dipper, and obviously as he pointed out, she knew she wasn't going to convincingly reassure him otherwise but in this case she knew whatever Pacifica needed was urgent and it was probably far too complicated for Dipper to handle. "I promise you, I'll be fine." Not awaiting Dipper's reaction to that, Mabel hurriedly shoved him out of the way and headed on out towards the address Pacifica sent.

Walking in the middle of the night alone on a dark path to meet a stranger wasn't a pleasurable but certainly not a terrifying experience for Mabel. She at one point had lived in the small town of Gravity Falls, located on the crevices of Oregon State and a town known for it's supernatural oddities, so naturally she was quite used to the creepy atmosphere. Gravity Falls, the name being as ironic as it was, was the town that had inspired her brother's nerdy little mind, and a town which held many traumatic but wonderful memories. Mabel would have loved to visit there again after spending nearly five years away, but she did enjoy the perks of her hometown in Piedmont as well.

After forty-five minutes of many failed attempts at finding the address, which resulted in more then ten houses in about three different neighbourhoods being disturbed by Mabel's trespassing (and further threatening to inform the authorities if she didn't scram immediately), Mabel stopped at a bench outside a desolated forest, tired and almost deciding to give up entirely. She took a temporary nightly rest on the bench, and she didn't know how long she had slept when she was jolted awake by a figure staring her down. The figure reached her hand out to Mabel, and the brunette, unable to recognise the figure in the moon's luminescence, took its' hand.

"Huh...?" Mabel said with a groggy voice. "Dipper? Did you follow me?! I told you not to—"

"Mabel," the voice said. "It's me." Mabel instantly recognised it; it was monotone and angry and most of all; unmistakable. Pacifica had found her, and she was most likely very annoyed that Mabel didn't show up on time.

"North— Pacifica, I'm... so sorry I was late!" Mabel was jolted awake and scrambling her brain trying to explain herself. "I kept getting lost, and I ended up halfway across the city and I just really needed to rest so I chose this bench—"

"Stop," Pacifica raised a hand and silenced her. "Even though I'm very disappointed that you failed to arrive on time, I'll at least give you effort for following my instructions in the first place. It would be quite a tragedy if you hadn't shown up at all."

"I'm sorry," Mabel said.

"I forgive you, but don't do it again next time." Pacifica responded. "This forest borders my manor, so you actually _did_ come to the right place... in a way." Pacifica gripped Mabel's arm and led her into the woods. "Follow me."

"O-okay," Mabel stuttered. Taking Pacifica's lead, the two of them staggered throughout the bushy and deserted forest. Mabel wanted Pacifica to let go of her hand, not only because she thought she could handle walking on her own but also because Pacifica was slightly pulling on her wrist too hard. Mabel stayed quiet though, because she knew Pacifica was too domineering to let that happen.

Mabel peered up at the sky; despite it being fully night-time and dark as all hell, she could see the visage of clouds slowly start to appear near the crescent moon that was present this early morning. Mabel knew instinctively what these sightings meant: rain and thunder. It had been occurring for the last few weeks and most of the time it had been treacherous. Mabel mentally prayed for the storm to appear, because this meant that she could possibly stay the night with Pacifica. Unless Pacifica was cruel enough to leave her rotting alone in the blissful storms.

The moon illuminated on a sign embedded in a tree entitled 'NORTHWEST MANSION UP AHEAD' followed by an arrow leading in the direction of two different paths. Pacifica dragged Mabel into the second path leading up to a large hill and after fifteen minutes, the two women finally arrived at the large brick fence and metal gate surrounding an extremely large estate. Every square inch of the fence had vines implanted onto it, and the gate itself had the letters 'NW', symbolising Pacifica's surname, embroidered onto it.

"You live _here?_ " Mabel said, gazing upon the giant mansion in awe.

"Of course. Did you think I lived in some dirty _hovel_ or something?" Pacifica remarked while she opened the gate. Leading Mabel through it she said, "Also, be grateful that I actually risked leaving the gate open for you. I never do that with anyone."

Mabel nodded in response, and when she walked with the blonde inside the mansion, she just couldn't help but gasp and react towards treasure-trove of remarkable things she viewed all around her. Crystalline chandeliers, chocolate and cider fountains, wooden walls, and even a designed statue of Pacifica as a mermaid waiting in the corner. Not even five seconds passed, and Mabel had taken an instant liking to this place. To Mabel, Pacifica's life was enviable.

"This place is amazing. It almost reminds me of a haunted house," Mabel said enthusiastically.

"You have no idea," Pacifica joked. It was true, in a way. With the countless amount of people Pacifica had slaughtered at the base of this very manor, and the multiple people her family as a whole had inflicted bloodshed on for generations, the place had the potential to _be_ haunted.

As Pacifica lovingly watched Mabel gaze around her home, she nearly caught herself staring and even smiling at how optimistic the brunette was, which, to Pacifica, felt absurd on her part. She attempted to snap out of the trance by offering Mabel a meal. "Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?"

Pacifica felt even more embarrassed and regretted asking that, because this was the first concerning thing she's ever said to Mabel, and the first time the blonde was actually concerned about the well-being of anyone besides herself in general, let alone the brunette's.

"Sure," responded Mabel.

"I'll make you a meal," said Pacifica. She led Mabel into the kitchen, which, of course, was just as stunning as the rest of the manor's interior. The cupboards and dining set were made out of purely the finest brass, the silverware was imported, and most importantly Mabel felt like a queen throughout this entire ordeal.

Pacifica busied herself setting the table, remembering all the proper placements of the cutlery from when she was taught etiquette. Going to her wine rack she critically examined her vast collection, before selecting a particular favourite of hers, a vintage Cabernet Sauvignon that would go wonderfully with the meal. What made the very best thing about this kitchen experience in Pacifica's mind was how, in a few minutes, Mabel would be completely oblivious to the fact that she was about to consume the dismembered remains of the same disgraceful human being who had the audacity to flirt with her at the market. Whilst waiting for Mabel's unfortunately late arrival, Pacifica had seized her time by cooking Soos' remains after the murder and grinding his tissue, mixing it with the classic Northwest herb loaf.

As she draped a tea towel over the oven door, an ingrained habit from when her grandfather was teaching her to cook, Pacifica focused on bringing the soup starter to simmer before placing the homemade herb loaf in the oven and closing it. While this was going on, Pacifica decided to initiate conversation with Mabel.

"Do I scare you?" Pacifica asked, not an ounce of hesitation or respect for privacy in her voice. "My presence, I mean."

"Whatever you're cooking smells very nice," Mabel blew her side-fringe out of her face and looked in every direction other than Pacifica's.

The blonde waited.

"Uh... no, you don't scare me. Anymore, I mean."

"Why not?" Pacifica stepped as if she was trying to feed off Mabel's words as they came out.

"Are you trying to? You're very cryptic."

"Is that what you think?"

Mabel shrugged.

"I'm sorry." The words tasted bitter on Pacifica's tongue and surprised Mabel's ears. Pacifica's never apologised before, it was a weakness to her and Pacifica would have rather felt pain than felt the slightest inkling of weakness. "I'm not cryptic. You can ask me any question and I'll answer it."

"Okay, North... do you live here alone?" Mabel questioned.

"Yes," Pacifica replied in an instant. Contemplating on it, she realised that the answer was far from the truth but definitely far from a lie as well. She _would_ be living in this manor alone, once Preston was oh so-suddenly taken care of.

"Who was that guy?" asked Mabel.

"The one that you saw me fighting with?"

"Yeah."

"My father," Pacifica said without a hint of tone in her voice. _At least you told the truth this time,_ she thought to herself. However once she was finished with him, it was quite a shame she wouldn't even need to introduce him to Mabel.

"Oh my God..." Mabel said more to herself than to Pacifica.

"What?"

"I feel so awkward now. I thought that was your boyfriend or husband. I'm so, so sorry..." Mabel turned away and concealed her face, but Pacifica could interpret her like a mystery novel. She was quite clearly blushing, and seeing the brunette flushed with embarrassment made the blonde's day a little more satisfying.

"It's alright," Pacifica reassured. "Men aren't really that much of my deal. I'm more into girls."

Hearing that made Mabel's heart flitter with ease, and it gave her the mindset that perhaps, maybe she _did_ have a potential chance ahead of her; a chance with this beautiful blonde girl who dared to step a foot inside her lonely world.

Mabel gazed speculatively at her until Pacifica blew out a loud breath and dropped the knife in her hand.

"Close your eyes." She instructed.

"But—"

"Close them."

Mabel pouted but obliged, her wet bottom lip sticking out as she waited. Pacifica forgot what she intended to do at first, she just stopped to stare at the childish girl in her kitchen with small hands and a wonderful mind. She reached out and instinctively brushed her finger along the protruding lip, making Mabel suck it back in along with a breath.

Pacifica memorised the little veins running along the pink lips, entranced by the fragile patience of this girl.

Snapping back to reality, Pacifica cleared her throat; she added finesse and took a moment extra to just brush Mabel's skin delicately.

"Do it." Mabel whispered and Pacifica felt the ghost air touch her mouth.

"Do what?" Pacifica held Mabel's neck in both her hands, not pressing but just touching sweetly.

"I know you want to kiss me. So do it."

Pacifica knew this was dangerous, a bit _too_ dangerous. Wanting to kiss someone, just for the benefit of light affection was always a sign of emotion. Pacifica didn't want those. She was enraptured by a girl in high school and she wanted to know her better, make sure this girl had some flaws that Pacifica would utterly loathe. She was shown up when Mabel possessed no such traits, and Pacifica began to develop a consideration for this smaller woman.

"No." Pacifica pushed her away. "I don't."

Mabel looked at Pacifica in the eye. "Okay."

Pacifica peered at her through frosted vision of confusion and debatable envy. "What?"

"Okay."

"What's okay?"

"That you don't want to kiss me." Mabel was a little hurt but she reassured herself that the feeling would hopefully evaporate by tomorrow morning.

"But... don't you hate me?"

"For not wanting to kiss me? No, I don't. You find me unappealing, I can't force you to change your mind."

"You're not unappealing."

"Thanks." Mabel got up from her chair. "Means a lot."

Pacifica felt imbecilic. Mabel was openly willing to give her something she's wanted for days now, but Pacifica turned her down. Now Mabel wasn't going to believe her, and the blonde's fate at this moment in time was inevitable. She decided that, despite hating having to do it, she had to reveal the _real_ reason why she brought Mabel here.

Pacifica gripped Mabel's arm just as she was about to open the screen door and exit. "Wait, Mabel... the truth is, I do want to kiss you."

Mabel's eyebrows raised and she scrunched her face. "Then why didn't you just do it—"

Pacifica cut Mabel's sentence off. "Not only that, but... I want to do _other things_ with you."

Mabel's heart was pounding, repelling against the constricting walls of her ribcage. She was nervous, anxious and a little afraid all rolled into one fiasco. No one has ever told her they were going to throw her on a bed and do 'things' to her before, much less someone she barely knew. The envision of it made Mabel's cheeks light up and her mind race.

"Pacifica..."

"Before we do that, I have to show you something first. Come on." Pacifica grabbed Mabel's wrist and didn't bother assisting Mabel to get off the chair considering she had short legs that weren't touching the ground.

Leading her upstairs to the bathroom, Pacifica flipped on the light switch and never let go of the unfamiliar closure Mabel's hand-holding gives her.

"Sweet," Mabel looked around the room with a braceful smile on her face, never having had a tour of the cryptic apartment before.

Pacifica drew back the shower glass and revealed three taps. Hot. Cold. But there's one more.

"Chocolate milk?" Mabel teased after seeing the mysterious third tap. Pacifica didn't give a vocal answer in response, just a simple eye roll to preceed. Pacifica didn't understand this girl, but she desperately wanted to; and she wanted Mabel to understand her forbidden desires as well.

Finally releasing Mabel's hand after draining the final dose of comforting familiarity from the touch, Pacifica stepped into the wide shower section. Mabel looked on with many questions lingering in her fast-paced state of mind. She chewed the inside of her cheek, incidentally biting off the worn-out squamous tissue.

The tap that sat hooked between the hot and cold knobs was special, tinted black and only needed to be pulled out to function. Pacifica did that now with unafraid hands, but cautious fingers. The bigger part of her was a little worried, but the aggressive portion that took and claimed what it wanted at all costs set her at ease.

There was no steam when the shower gauge began to release liquid. _Red_ liquid. Mabel's jaw ran agape and he involuntarily stepped toward the healthy spray out of pure curiosity. _Curiosity killed the cat._

She stood staring at how the blood fell from the metal head to Pacifica's hair, enough to the point where it was being used as a temporary hair solution, before dripping down her body and getting washed down the drain. The glint in her eye was dark fascination, taken totally by this dicey invention.

"Blood." Mabel seemed to mouth the word with a surprised breath.

Pacifica shut off the tap and stared back at Mabel with contempt and interest. She was matted in blood, her hair felt caked to her skull but that didn't bother her. It was familiar, always able to soothe the raw nerve ends that drove her off a bridge. Something she's actually done in an old Ford Capri, but survived when a nosey passerby saved her. Pacifica thinks this is why that stranger gave her a chance she didn't deserve.

Mabel had her upper lip between her molars, biting in thought. The corner was sore now from being split open by rough prodding. The rest of her was calm, no twitching or forms of anxiety. That seemed to soften the blow to a bothered mind of Pacifica neither knew was there.

Pacifica closed her eyes when she told Mabel the whole truth, giving Mabel the chance to leave her without reluctance. Pacifica knew she would just run after her and keep her by force if she actually attempted to, but it's the sentiment that counts at this moment in time. Pacifica has never given up something she wanted before so it's blatant that she won't bloody start now.

"I murder people, Mabel." She started, her eyelids have dried to sandpaper but Pacifica felt nothing.

Mabel's eyes dart from the shower to Pacifica, boring into her soul and putting Pacifica on edge. Nobody has done that before and it provides her with a loud burst of energy.

Energy to step out of the non-slip tiled floor and cover the distance to Mabel, that's oddly decreased. She stood there for a short empty while, waiting for something to hit her in the face or heart.

Nothing happened and and Pacifica took in the softness of Mabel's iridescent green eyes. It's one of her top ten favourite colours. Pacifica reached out and touched Mabel's cheek, bloodied thumb and all. She left a streak on the smooth skin where she's touched, and she experimented further by brushing Mabel's feathery hair away from her eyes. More blood touched Mabel's forehead and left temple.

"Say something." Pacifica looked pained in her expression, the way she did in the supermarket. "Mabel. I said-"

"Do you now?" Mabel cut her off, having heard exactly what Pacifica confessed.

"Yes."

"So shouldn't you be showing me your lair and not your bathroom?"

Pacifica fought to keep her eyes closed even though she was certain Mabel was laughing softly at her. "I bathe in their blood."

"I saw."

"You don't believe me?" Pacifica tilted her head to the side, trying to deliver the same sinister expression she gave to all of her prey.

"No, I do."

"Then?"

"Is this your way of kicking me out? I'll leave if you—"

Pacifica kissed her with a hard, fervent mouth just to see if Mabel was genuine about this; her wet, rust and iron tasting lips crashing against Mabel's own. A kiss can tell a lot, if Mabel was hesitating or just straight-up pulling away. A kiss in time can speak in abundance, just like how time can heal what a kiss caused.

But there's none of the above. Mabel didn't get time to groan from the harsh bite to her bottom lip, and Pacifica seemed to lose herself just momentarily to this fantasy Mabel rendered in her world. Pacifica's arms formed barricades around Mabel's waist as she lifted her off the ground. She pried Mabel's thighs apart and made them wrap around her hips for balance.

All of Mabel's clothing got equally disturbed by the traces of others' blood that Pacifica's dabbed in. Neither noticed when Pacifica pressed her against the cool wall.

Mabel sighed when Pacifica's hand roamed around her entire upper body, shamelessly kneading the flesh through her sweater.

"I want you to believe me." Pacifica has never heard this kind of plea in her voice before, but she wanted the reciprocation of Mabel so bad that she was willing to do everything, including going against her own character.

"I do, Pacifica." Mabel said in such an innocent voice, and she pulled back to convey the truth in her eyes.

Pacifica held the basin with one hand and gripped Mabel's hip with the other. "Are you afraid?"

"You won't hurt me."

"Yes I will."

"You swore, Pacifica."

"Not in _that_ way." Pacifica chuckled, already feeling at ease with Mabel with no false sense of security. "I'd never hurt you in that way."

Mabel's face suddenly scrunched up as she wiped islands of blood off Pacifica's neck and face. "Can you shower for real now?"

"Wait..."

"Uh-" Mabel was about to mention that she physically couldn't go anywhere, since Pacifica had her irreversibly pinned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you _really_ don't smell your finest."

Pacifica thought she could finally nurture a sense of humour with Mabel being as bold as she was. "You're mine now?"

"Was that your objective?"

Pacifica nodded once only.

Mabel awkwardly slid onto the edge of the sink, legs crossed behind Pacifica's back and hands wandering the upper parts of the girl. She pressed her forehead to Pacifica's chest — fighting to ignore the less desirable stench — when the taller of the two placed her chin on Mabel's head. Mabel was tiny and she never felt just how drastic the difference was until now, curled around Pacifica's lanky frame like a monkey.

Pacifica's hated silence with another person all her life, pregnant pauses that held depth she couldn't reach. She clenched her jaw and tried to find the will to pull away.

"Mabel."

"Hmm?"

"You're mine now." It's decisive, no longer a question. The time for turning back — or the illusion of turning back — is long fucking over. "You _cannot fucking run_ , Mabel."

"I have two legs, I'm pretty sure I can run."

Pacifica realised that she was going to have to get used to this customary sass that Mabel exuded by the gallon. "You run away from me, and I _will_ find you again."

"Flattering."

But, like every other human being, Pacifica had a breaking point, and quite a very violent one. Mabel was making one too many poking jokes at her methods, and she wasn't going to stand for it.

* * *

 **A/N #2: Please inform me in the reviews section what you thought of this chapter. If you hate it, I'll just post the third chapter as an ending and close up shop (perfect opportunity since I am getting a bit bored with Gravity Falls anyway). But I do have a plot for this story and I'd like some feedback. I'm in dire need of it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: afternoon, everyone. sorry for the four-month-long discontinuance. as i stated in the previous chapter, i was getting a bit bored with gravity falls and felt like it was fading away on my list of interests. i watched the finale, and i wasn't as enthusiastic about it as i thought i'd be. to be quite fair i think i've overgrown gravity falls but i would love to continue this story. seeing as it's an original story with my own characters that i've been working on since i was 15 and back when i was an immense GF fanatic i converted it into a GF story. so... i'm back. i promise i'll try to update frequently.**

 **P.S. i tried to be as vague as i could about like smut and shit because i'm paranoid this site would terminate me if it was blatant, so...**

 **enjoy**

* * *

Pacifica stormed out of the bathroom, rage evident on her face as she hauled Mabel with her without strain. Kicking the door to her bedroom open she dropped Mabel carelessly onto the high mattress before crawling over her.

"Stop that." Pacifica attached her teeth instead of lips to Mabel's neck, making the latter twist her hips and groan loudly.

"St-Stop what?" Mabel was already panting, chest rising and falling shallowly.

"Laughing at me. I don't like it."

In a half-arsed attempt to keep the glorious maroon stains from tampering with her black bed sheets, Pacifica stripped down to nothing and flung the items of clothing across the room. It gave a wet echo when colliding with the wall. Mabel admired Pacifica's perfect physique, eyes trailing along every expanse of skin she hasn't seen already.

Pacifica corrupted the vision by shoving Mabel back against the pillows and kicking her legs apart with her knees. Mabel's body shuddered with arousal, quick and desperate for her touch. She ended up the way she entered this world before Pacifica came to hover above her.

There was power, dominance about Pacifica that made Mabel dizzy and forget she's about to make love for the first time in her life. She's afraid to even think the wrong thing with the man above her looking at her that way, hooded plans and reverent intentions.

Pacifica's hips dug down on Mabel's mercilessly as if demanding she surrender every private moment and intimate act. Her body was damp from the shower escapade but Mabel was too distracted to mind the smell anymore.

Having had plenty of experiences in rendezvouses, Pacifica still felt unsure of what she was supposed to do here. It was different this time but she forgot all that in a moment of blindness, erasing all premeditated action of foreplay to bite and pleasure Mabel as hard as she could.

The brunette's breath was rapid and she clenched the bed sheet in small fists, expecting severe attention to a region most guarded to her; most untouched. What she got was a spray of saliva and the gutwrenching screams of her own when Pacifica went for it. No prep, no mind.

"Stop, please... it hurts so much," Mabel sobbed, pushing the blonde away.

Pacifica wasn't totally heartless - for Mabel, just Mabel - and immediately froze to take care of her. The girl under her was tight and warm, with velvety insides that begged for Pacifica's devout attention.

"Babel?" Pacifica finally got her wish of calling Mabel that. "Can I call you that?"

"Get off, Pacifica!" Mabel thrashed about in opaque agony until Pacifica pinned her arms above her head and rested all her weight on Mabel.

"Shh..." Pacifica has never kissed any part of a person other than their lips to get them going, but this time she peppered light ones all over Mabel's neck, face and collarbones.

"Hurts." Mabel blinked rapidly to destroy her tears and gets her hands free of the blonde.

Pacifica didn't retract herself, nor did she move one bit. She simply lied there, feeling Mabel's bruised body clench around her in a brave crescendo of rhythm. Pacifica's arms wrapped around Mabel's figure as little hands fist her still wet hair, both of them ignoring the squelch of moisture.

It took a good few minutes of waiting, Pacifica bordering immense arousal and Mabel speedily approaching the same state.

"Better?" Pacifica kissed Mabel's lips and decided it was her favourite thing to do in the whole world.

Mabel nodded and carefully shifted her hips to test the waters. She learned to love and grow accustomed the pain as it sent delicious sparks up her spine to her brain, instructing her to moan unashamedly as Pacifica dominated her.

"You have school tomorrow." Pacifica grunted, starting to move and relishing the sounds from her lover.

"Yeah." Mabel's voice was blissed out, eyes rolled to the back of her head and neck exposed for Pacifica mark up. "Gonna limp around all day." Pacifica lifted Mabel's legs to wrap around her hips and picked up her speed gradually.

Mabel's body shifted further up the mattress with every thrust Pacifica inflicted with her fingers, creating such beautiful imagery for the blonde to memorise. She lifted up onto her forearms, before starting to really move and make Mabel shriek. Her hips pivoted relentlessly upward, slamming against the brunette's and stinging the sensitive skin. She groaned often, genuinely enjoying the little giggles Mabel gave her on each shove and pull. It's wonderful and Pacifica never wanted to stop.

Her teeth clamped down on Mabel's skin, working harder and faster for a short minute before the brunette finally came out of her high, not for the first time but definitely for the best. She stared at the ceiling as Pacifica sighed and collapsed right on top of her.

"Mabel?" Pacifica stuck her fingers between Mabel's quivering thighs and prods at her again, grinning devilishly when the brunette grumbled at the leaking feel.

"What?" Mabel answered kind of mumbly, but she was so mesmerised that she couldn't think normally.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Uh, yes you can call me Babel."

"We need to clean up."

Pacifica rolled off her even when Mabel whined at her to stay. She made a questioning face at the brunette.

"What?"

"Where are you going?" Mabel's eyes were closed and she was already giving in to the folds of sleep.

"Get up." Pacifica slapped Mabel's bare behind, trying not to smile at the very faint ripple. "Go get clean."

Mabel had already fallen asleep, face buried in Pacifica's favourite pillow - not that she knew that - and she was snoring softly. With a heavy sigh, Pacifica got a warm wet cloth and wiped down Mabel's entire body. She took extra time where the leaking was concerned but no one needed to know that.

Pacifica didn't know what to do after that. She stared at Mabel's sleeping form for a good ten minutes - still bare, mind you - until she grabbed a comforter from the closet and headed downstairs. She used the sink to clean her hair and took care of the meal they were supposed to eat before trying to sleep on the couch. She failed, because she was still buzzing from the experience with Mabel and wanted to have more except Mabel was knocked out.

Using the smallest knife in her collection, Pacifica sat on the couch with a true crime programme on and carved little things into her palm. None of it hurt, so she just carried on until she got bored and fell back against the couch. She felt slight pokes but it didn't hurt so it didn't matter.

Mabel woke up with a start at four that morning, gasping from the pain that shot up her back and swallowed back a cry.

"Pacifica?" Mabel called into the empty room after feeling the cold sheets and examining the blank spaces. "Pacifica?"

Pacifica was downstairs and closed her ears to the calls. She turned on her side, and fought to find sleep even with the pungent regret residing in her chest. Sleeping with a person, literally, was too intimate for her.

Mabel called three more times, voice cracking at the last attempt before giving up and going to sleep. She set a pillow down on the empty half of the bed as a signal. If it moved by morning then Pacifica had come.

The pillow didn't move all throughout the night.

Mabel woke up at seven the next morning, bit her lip and blinked past blurry vision to look around. She noticed the pillow and slipped out of bed with more pained sounds than necessary. Pacifica still hadn't showed up. She had gone out for a run at six and didn't tell Mabel or leave a note. The door was open so Mabel got dressed and dashed out of the apartment.

Pacifica got back at seven thirty, bearing goods from McDonalds as breakfast. She was quite proud of herself for thinking up the idea by herself. That friendly heat filled her chest when she found the flat to be empty. She tried to control the remnants of her willpower but she failed and stormed out of the building after capsizing the coffee table in rage.

Mabel took the bus home, standing on purpose because sitting would feel like torture. She made coffee in an actual mug and just took it with her on the brief walk to school, along with a chocolate chip muffin.

There wasn't much time to ponder her hurt feelings over last night, because she was late when she got to school and immediately sat down for class. Sitting was the hard part because although Mabel favoured some of the pain and the memory of how it originated, sometimes it played a bitch and she almost chipped her tooth with all the grinding. Nobody said a single thing, though.

That is, up until her Religious Studies class door swung open on squeaky hinges and standing before the class was a not at all pleased Pacifica. Mabel had been trying to toss the muffin's paper wrap with easy calculations, but now went off by a metre and hit the back of a student's head. Mabel looked down quickly, starting to scribble in her notebook - quotes from _Seven Psychopaths_ \- while the teacher talks to this visitor.

"Can I-"

"I need to see Mabel." Pacifica couldn't be looking humble or polite right now if the hard tone of her voice was anything to go by.

Everyone looked at Mabel, who couldn't shrivel back into her seat anymore than she's already tried. Their eyes were curious, but none burnt the way Pacifica's did. Mabel got up, mug in her hand, and walked out the door with a nod to her stunned instructor.

If Mabel hadn't set the mug down on a bench, her favourite one of her collection would probably have shattered when Pacifica cornered her by the shelves.

"You were gone. Tell me why." Pacifica's admirable eyes had melted to black. Those eyes were cold and void of empathy.

Mabel wasn't scared though, never was. "Yeah? You noticed?"

Pacifica tightened her jaw until Mabel could trace the strong bone itself. "Tell me _why_."

"It's a two-way street, babe. _You_ were gone too."

Nothing about Pacifica's composure changed. "I went out."

"This is ridiculous." Mabel wet her lips and shook her head, forcing Pacifica's arm out of the way so she could sidestep her.

"Mabel!" Pacifica called after her, voice thick with irritation. "Don't walk away from me."

Mabel said nothing and kept going. Pacifica took two big strides and tried to be gentle about shoving Mabel against the shelf right in front of her.

 _"I said don't walk away from me!"_

It was driving Pacifica mad, feeling this girl sink her claws into her and have control over the way she acted. Pacifica was slowly losing her hard-earned composure to sweater girl, who she had known almost three weeks. Mabel seemed unscared, but if she was, she was the best at hiding it.

Pacifica retaliated with physical rage, something she understood and something that put her in total control. She grabbed Mabel's arm, twisted it brutally and slammed it down on the shelf. Pacifica wasn't irresponsible and still cared - she would never verbally admit it - about Mabel no matter how infuriating she was.

Mabel's chest was rising and falling like that of a racing animal. She had never witnessed such a stormy emotion flood Pacifica's gaze and inhibit her body that way. She wasn't hurt at all by stubbornly holding the shelf and took the harsh blow without a mewl.

"How does it feel?" Is all Mabel can say, heart still in the lurch about where they stand. "Being left behind?"

"I didn't walk away from you." Pacifica shook her head, convincing nobody but herself.

Mabel didn't want to mess with this Pacifica but if Pacifica hurt her against their pinky promise, she'd cross that bridge - or burn it - when it arose.

"Then what do you call leaving _me_ to spend the entire night alone in _your_ giant bed after we did the most intimate thing two people could ever do?" She was kind in words but the diction was less so.

Pacifica drew back and let her arms fall into her jacket's pockets. The blood from an injured fist bestowed upon by the woodened shelf was soaking the fabric but she didn't feel a thing.

Mabel was right, and it made Pacifica annoyed. Love was intimate especially for Pacifica and _Mabel_ , not Pacifica and anybody else, this is something she admitted to herself last night. What she did was lousy, she could have asked Mabel if she wanted to be alone or not. But she didn't. She assumed and now Mabel was angry with her. Knowing this fed a deep pit of insanity, plagued with beasts that made Pacifica itch and want to scream.

She was so lost to herself that she didn't see Mabel leave. When she sunk back to Planet Earth, the girl she had so many things to say to was gone and still upset. Upset with Pacifica. Pacifica made her upset, and it was already killing her from the inside. She made a psychological note to follow Mabel home that evening to try to sort things out.

Later that night, Mabel yanked the door open and stopped short, breath mingled with her heart as it clogs her throat. "Pacifica."

The woman who Mabel last saw hours ago was blocking the entire doorway, and she was wearing the same attire as before although now her right hand was bandaged.  
Mabel didn't look to Pacifica's left, but she did then and standing there was a girl about a foot shorter than her escort. She was blindfolded which was odd.

"Latest conquest?" Mabel only knew retort and no remorse. It was how she reacted to things that hurt when they shouldn't.

Pacifica's nostrils flared but she swallowed a smart remark, the unknown feeling swallowing it and her bit by bit already. She pushed the girl inside and Mabel wasn't sure how happy she was about this but closed the door behind Pacifica anyway before crossing her arms. In her own mind it created a little support for the threat that was shoving her heart out of her chest.

"I need to sleep, so-"

"Forgive me." Pacifica said, eyes locked with Mabel's and her hand digging imprints into the victim's arm. "Mabel, please."

"Pacifica, I don't-"

"Or I'll kill her."

Mabel's half opened mouth paused for a minute in disbelief. "What?"

That was when the girl started crying and Pacifica brought her to her chest, a slightly hidden dagger that Mabel didn't notice becoming so against her throat. She didn't say anything, or do anything besides cry.

"Pacifica, are you mad? Let her go." Mabel's arms dropped and she stepped forward.

"No, Mabel. It's your fault. I can't... I can't keep feeling this way. This is horrible. I need you to forgive me and- and take me back so it can stop. I hate feeling this way. Say it. Say it so we can go back to before."

Mabel was gobsmacked and fishmouthed from apparent shock, but had enough sense to nod vigorously. "Yes. Yes, I forgive you. Pacifica, it's okay now."

Pacifica may have been a killer but Mabel wasn't going to have it on her conscience that a person died because of her. She watched Pacifica drop the knife, and released a breath she didn't know she was holding.

But as a last accomplishment, one more reward, Pacifica squeezed her eyes shut and granted the poor barhopper mercy by snapping her neck. It was the final signature at the end of a contract, the last gulp before her cut-off drink.

 _The deep breath before the plunge._

She didn't open her eyes until she stumbled over to an astounded Mabel and dropped to her knees. Pacifica hugged Mabel's middle as if to say _thank you_ and Mabel ran a hand through her damp hair that smelt of mint, saying _you're welcome._


End file.
